Bung for beer-barrels



No. 626,7l6. Patented lune l3, I899.

F. C. UPPER.

BUNG FOR BEER BABBELS.

(Lprplicltion filed Oct 7, 1888.)

(No Model.)

Wiflmaoom amen/bot MZVW' 3 K E g, WW 1 77,65 WWW,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK C. OPPER, F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR oF ONE- BUNG FORBEER-BARRELS.

HALF TO THOMAS F. KANE, OFSOUTI-IINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,716, dated June 13,1899.

Application filed October 7,1898. Serial No. 692,921. (No model.)

To all whom it near concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK O. OPPER, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bungsfor Beer-Barrels, of which the following is a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a top viewof a bung embodying said improvement. Fig. 2 is a view thereof incentral vertical section.

The outlines of the faucet used with such a'bung are denoted by dottedlines. Y

The object of the improvement is the production of a bung and its properbushing for beer-kegs and the like, adapted to prevent leakage throughthe splitting of the wooden bushing when the faucet is inserted.

In the accompanying drawings'the letter Ct denotes a bushing, preferablymetallic, exteriorly threaded for the purpose of being screwed into thebung-hole of a keg of lagerbeer or the like.

The letter 1) denotes a wooden cup fitting snugly to the interior ofsaid bushing. The

thin bottom thereof is intended and adaptedto be broken off and drivenout when a fan cet is inserted for the purpose of drawing out the fluidcontents of the keg. I The letter 0 denotes a ring or annulus fast tothe metallic bushing. It acts as a container of the rubber-gasket d. I,

The letter 0 denotes a seat for the gasket, formed in or on the bushing.It is well that the top of the wooden cup b should be flush with theseat 0. i

Such a bushing and such a wooden cup as have been already hereinbeforedescribed are old in the art. In the use thereof when the faucet isdriven through this wooden bushing-breaking away the bottom thereof, itis by no means rare that the sides of the wooden bushing are split, withthe result of leakages that render the beer in the keg flat, stale, andvalueless. One advantage of the presentimprovement is to provide a meanswhich shall prevent such leakage, even though the wooden cup be brokenafter the manner already indicated, yet ordinarily and when the cup doesWard not break bringing only wood into contact with the contents of thekeg.

With the use of the apparatus herein illustrated and described when thefaucet is driven to place, breaking away the bottom of the wooden cup,which forms the bushing, then even though the sides of that cup may bebroken in the operation the rubber gasket is so compressed against thering which contains it and against the seat a as to make and maintain atight junction with thefaucet.

The specific construction of the parts above designated is preferably asfollows: The meeting faces of the bushing a and cup I) usually tapertoward theirinner ends. and are here so shown, yet this is notnecessary. The interior of the cup, however, I

prefer to make truly cylindrical and not ta-- cet is inserted. Thegasket d may taper or flare; but it should be interiorly of smaller borethan that of the cup, as shown, and its inner end of course rests on theshoulder and covers the outer edge of the cup. The inser- They maybetion of the tapering faucet-body(see dotted,

lines) has a tendency to force the gasket inward. This is resisted bythe shoulder. The radial increase in size of this body during its inwardpassage bears the gasket radially out- I-Ience it is compressed againstthe annulus.- -Mean while the cup is shattered. If its side wallsremain-intact as usual, well and good, and the faucet binds within them,especially at the outer end next the compressed gasket, forming a veryclose joint; yet presenting only wooden faces to the beer; butoccasionally saidcup-walls will be broken, as above suggested. Even thenthe compressed gasket, held in place by the shoulder and ann ulus, willprevent all leakage. Thus it will be seen that the cylindrical interiorshape of the cup, the shoulder, the gasket, smaller internally than thecup, and the contact of Ioo I claim as my improvement 1. A bungcomprising an exteriorly-threaded bushing, an annulus fast to the outerend thereof, both of rigid material and with a shoulder between them, agasket of compressible material within the annulus and against theshoulder,and a cup of friable material fast within the bushing in rearof the gasket, the internal diameter being larger than that of thegasket, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a bung, the combination with the metallic bushing having anintegral ring or annulus at its outer end and an outwardly-facingshoulder Within it, and a rubber gasket within the annulus and restingon said shoulder; of a Wooden cup Within the bushing-and having itsouter end or mouth normally in contact with the gasket, as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a bung, the combination with the me tallic bushing having anoutwardly-facing shoulder within it, and a rubber gasket resting on saidshoulder; of a wooden cup within the bushing and having its outerend ormouth normally in contact with the gasket, its interior being trulycylindrical and larger than the bore of the gasket, as and for thepurpose set forth.-

FREDERICK C. OPPER.

Witnesses:

W. E. SIMoNDs, FLORENCE M. BRAGG.

